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Glass. 
Book_ 






Issued January lo, 1916. 

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 

BUREAU OF ANEMAL INDUSTRY. 



GROWING AND HANDLING WESTERN WOOLS. 

The western sheep raiser must always depend largely upon 
wool for his income. Only a few of the clips sold at the ranch 
go direct to the mills. Most of the wool passes through eastern 
warehouses and is graded before selling to the manufacturer. 




American Wool on Display in the Original Bag. 

In breeding his sheep and in preparing and selling his, wool 
the ranchman should understand all those things that affect the 
price in the final sale at the warehouse. Some of these things 
are explained in the wool-exhibit car equipped by the Bureau 
of Animal Industry and exhibited in cooperation with the agri- 
cultural colleges in the western States. The charts, fleeces, and 

Note. — This circular is intended for distribution in connection with the wool-exhibit car 
equipped by the Bureau of Animal Industry and run in cooperation with the western agri- 
cultural colleges. 

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Growing and Handling Western Wools 

live sht'cp shown in the car are arranged to show how the value 
of wool is inOuenced by — 

1. Shrinkage. 

2. Grade. 

3. Strength. 

4. Character. 

,S. Preparation. 
Shrinkage. — All wools are scoured to remove grease and 
dirt before manufacturing is begun. The loss in weight in 




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Foreign Wool Skirted, Classed, and Baled, on Display at Boston. 



scouring varies from 25 to 80 ]X'r cent. A difference of 5 per cent 
in the shrinkages of two lots of wool, when other things are 
equal, may mean a difference of 4 cents a pound in the grease. 
Where it is not possible to have a fair sample of a clip scoured 
as a test, a person's own judgment of the shrinkage must be 
depended upon. Only by careful study and experience can the 
woolgrower learn to estimate closely the shrinkage of wools. 

Grade. — There are seven main grades of western wools. On 
the clean or scoured basis the finest grades of wool often bring 



Pag, 



0, of D. 
JAN 15 1916 



Growing and Handling Western Wools 

15 cents a pound more than coarser grades. The published 
wool market reports quote western wools by grades, on the 
scoured basis. In order to make use of these reports the wool- 
grower must know the shrinkage of his clip and how it grades. 
The following is the report of the Boston wool market pub- 
lished December 11, 191 5: 

BOSTON WOOL MARKET. 



Domestic Wool. 



OHIO AND PENNSYLVANIA FLEECES. 

Delaine washed 35'A to - 



XX — t032j4 

Fine unmerchantable 32 to 33 

14 blood, combing 34 to 35 

H blood, combing 37 to 38 

% blood, combing 37 to — 

y4, H, a clothing 30 to 33 

Delaine, unwashed 31 to 3 2 

Kine, unwashed 26 to 27 

Common and braid 32 to — 

MICHIGAN AND NEW YORK FLEECES. 

Fine, unwashed 25 to — 

Delaine, unwashed 28 to 30 

'A blood, unwashed 32 to 33 

*4 blood, unwashed 37 to 38 

'4 blood, unwashed 36K to 37K 

'A, y&. '4 clothing 26 to 28 

Common and braid 31 to 32 

WISCONSIN AND MISSOURI. 

% blood 36^ to 37 

H blood 37 to 37>4 

A blood 31 to 32 

Braid 31 to 32 

Black, burry, seedy, cotts 28 to 30 

Georgia a to 34 

KENTUCKY AND SIMILAR. 

A blood, unwashed 35 to 36 

V^ blood, unwashed 39 to — 

' 4 blood . unwashed 38 to — 

Common and braid 32 to 33 



Scoured Wool. 



Fine, 1 2 months 67 to 68 

Fine, 8 months 60 to 62 

Fine, fall 54 to 56 

CALIFORNIA. 

Northern 65 to 66 

Middle county 62 to 63 

Southern 55 to 56 

Fall free Si to 53 

Fall, defective 45 to 48 

OREGON. 

Eastern No. i, staple 72 to 73 

Eastern, clothing 67 to 69 

Valley No. i 59 to 62 

Valley No. 2 54 to 56 

Valley No. 3 52 to 53 

TERRITORY. 

Fine, staple 73 to 75 

Fine, medium staple 70 to 72 

Fine, clothing 69 to 71 

Fine, medium, clothing 65 to6S 

A blood, combing 71 to 73 

ik blood, combing 68 to 70 

■ 4 blood, combing 65 to 66 

Common and braid 57 to 58 



A fine staple wool quoted at 75 cents (scoured) if it shrank 
60 per cent would be worth 30 cents in the grease. 

Wools from Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Utah, Nevada, 
Colorado, and Washington are included under Territory. The 
State from which a clip comes has a great deal to do with the 



Page Three 



Growing and Handling Western Wools 

price, as some of the States are found to average better than 
others in the yield of clean wool and in the way the sheep arc 
bred and cared for. 

Strength. — The strength of the wool depends upon the feeding 
and care of the sheep and upon the breeding. Tender wools 
are caused by lack of care and feed, and lower the price by from 
2 to 4 cents a pound. 

Character. — The character of the wool depends mainly upon 
the breeding of the sheep and to some extent upon the care and 
feed. Wools of the best character run from 3 to 4 cents above 
those of poor character (frowsy, dingy, etc.). 

Preparation. — Separate sacks or bales for "blacks," "bucks," 
lamb's wool, etc., is to the advantage of both seller and buyer. 
If wool is properly graded when shorn it can be sold without 
further handling in the warehouse. Bad twine and branding 
fluid entirely prevents the use of wools for some kinds of goods. 

These questions are more fully explained in Department 
Bulletin No. 206. The department has a limited supply of this 
bulletin on hand, and it will be sent to persons interested on 
request, as long as the supply lasts. 



Page Four WASHINGTON : GOVERNMENT PRINTING office : 1916 



